Destinations2Discover.com talks with Pat Morris, Executive Director of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society (CGHS) about opening a new museum/attraction

Destinations2Discover.com: Tell me a little about your two new attractions: The Maritime Center, a converted Coast Guard Station, and the brand new A. W. Jones Heritage Education Center on St. Simons Island, Georgia.

Pat Morris: The Maritime Center is an historic building restored to interpret the natural history of the area. Situated at East Beach on the south part of the island, the facility is actually an old Coast Guard Station. Research showed that the island couldn't support another history museum so we decided to interpret our unique natural history. It opened in May 2006.

The A.W. Jones Heritage Education Center is an expansion (to the current Lighthouse Museum) that has been needed for years to accommodate our archives and additional research space. (We are the Historical Society for Glynn County, Georgia, encompassing all of Brunswick and the Golden Isles and we actively collect that history.) In order to raise the funds for a new facility ($5million) we had to expand its purpose, and therefore added exhibits, office space, events hall (for CGHS programs, but also for income from community rental), and triple the space of our museum store. It opened April 2008.

Destinations2Discover.com: How long have these new attractions been in the making?

Pat Morris: The CGHS took over the site adjacent to the lighthouse, a 1960s post office, in 1998. Initial thoughts were to remodel the facility but it quickly became apparent that this was not an option. In 2002, the board began serious consideration of a capital campaign to raise the funds for a new facility on the same site.

In 2003, when the CGHS board decided to undertake a capital campaign (something that it can only embark on every 10-15 years) to finance the education center, they looked at other needs and opportunities for the society to expand its reach. During the feasibility study, it became apparent that the community was interested in having the Coast Guard Station - which had been abandoned a decade earlier - reused for some other purpose. While a strict history museum was not viable, an alternate use could be.

Destinations2Discover.com: You already operate the successful Lighthouse Museum, one of the Golden Isles' most popular attractions. How have these two new museums changed your organization?

Pat Morris: We are focused a lot more on what's happening in tourism, such as visitor profiles and trends impacting the industry. We really value the research and information provided by the state tourism office and local CVB. If we were strictly an historical society, our focus on the visitor as a customer may not be so sensitive as to learning about what they want and expect from an authentic experience. For instance, we used the economic development guide produced by the state to help set up our museum store (study on what visitors to Georgia want to buy.)

In contrast, the attractions have expanded the type of programming we can provide local residents and members. Admissions help maintain the facility and enhance the quality of experiences for all who visit.

Destinations2Discover.com: According the American Association of Museums, there are more than 16,000 museums in the U.S. today. So competition is fierce. With the additional of these new facilities, are you marketing or doing programming differently?

Pat Morris: Our marketing budget has increased by 50%. We are focusing not only on building community interest (our Historical Society role) but also on targeting our message for visitors with new media placement in consumer publications and increased PR efforts. Thanks to a board member that owns an advertising agency, we've created a quality brand image - and related graphic materials - to reflect who we are now and where we want to go.

Destinations2Discover.com: What are your new visitor and membership goals?

Pat Morris: Our focus is much more on customer service orientation targeted to hosting visitors. We’ve just conducted a series of orientation sessions for our 100+ front line volunteers, and are considering a certification program to help maintain and enhance the quality of content delivery as well as content accuracy.

We currently receive about 100,000 visitors annually, mostly seasonal (May - September), so we’d like to increase our attendance by 10% this year but also move to more year-round visitation with people spending more and staying longer. We also want our 15,000 year-round and winter residents to frequent the attractions more often, so we are introducing some new ways that residents can use the facilities again and again.

We are currently engaged in a new membership campaign, with a goal of an additional 200 members by end of the year (currently have 780 individual members.) For the first time, we are also targeting corporations for memberships with offers of specific services and benefits (including admission to attractions, events, programs, facility rental.)

Destinations2Discover.com: What are some lessons learned about opening new museums, especially in this economic/competitive climate?

Pat Morris: Three come to mind: 1) you will spend more than you think, so plan ahead for funding contingencies; 2) staff will change through this process (some leave, some new come on board), so prepare for transition and the disruption this may cause in programming and consistent delivery of visitor experiences; and 3) set up levels of accountability and keep a trusted team (of advisors) close to administer a process of checks/balances from the beginning.

Destinations2Discover.com: How has the local DMO - the Brunswick & The Golden Isles Visitors Bureau - helped you with this endeavor?

Pat Morris: The Bureau has been a great help from the start, at inception and right up through the openings. The CVB staff marketed the attractions since the beginning, even including the facilities on media fam tour itineraries during the construction phase! They offered special deals for admission and other incentives to increase awareness about the two new attractions. Thanks also to the CVB, the lighthouse is on the cover of the 2008 Georgia Visitors Guide. In addition, they provided a lot of in-kind services that helped leverage our marketing and development, such as offering discounts on filming (for aerial shots) and marketing support for hosting conferences.

Destinations2Discover.com: What other partners have been instrumental in helping develop and open these two attractions?

Pat Morris: The business community, certainly, stepped up to support this expansion effort. The Sea Island Company, in particular, helped us with an introduction to the G-8 organization. With the recognition as their official legacy project, we automatically received a $2.5 million challenge grant. Sea Island Company also provided tremendous support personally, both in terms of financial and in-kind contributions... everything from landscaping to exhibit content. Golden Isles Office Equipment Company gave us a substantial discount for all office furniture. In all, we estimate that local businesses provided an extra 25% in added value and in-kind contributions. Local government, and county commissioners, helped navigate the permitting process so that we were able to stay on track (finish construction in 20 months.)

Destinations2Discover.com: How does the Internet impact your marketing and programming, customer service?

Pat Morris: The Internet is certainly our best marketing tool for special events and time-sensitive programming (such as our Little Light Music concert series and summer camps) but it will be utilized much more in future as we build our membership and start offering updates and exclusive benefits. The Internet also allows us to link with the Convention & Visitors Bureau customers, so they can get discounts (on admission) and other promotions.

Destinations2Discover.com: Share some tips for people thinking about opening a new museum or attraction in a resort or small community.

Pat Morris: Understand that it takes time to figure out your unique niche... after two years, we are still tweaking our marketing and programming at the Maritime Center to increase attendance. We are even exploring new evening hours to get more people visiting. It's not enough just to save the building; we have to keep it open and make it sustainable, a vibrant part to the community and the visitor experience.